This invention relates to a high thrust trolling motor and particularly to a gear reducing unit forming an integral part of the lower unit.
In the art of trolling, small electric driven outboard motor units are mounted to the transom of a boat and employed for slow speed maneuverability and positioning of the fishing boats. The electric drive motor is housed within the lower unit and coupled to drive a suitable propeller. The electric trolling motor unit may be specially employed in bass fishing and the like where the motor unit is primarily employed for limited maneuverability within a fishing area to properly locate the boat with respect to and positioning of the fishermans lines. The motor unit is turned for steering of the boat by a foot control coupled by push-pull cables to a turning gear means in the head of the motor unit and the speed is similarly controlled from a foot control connected in circuit with a battery and the motor. A separate high powered internal combustion outboard motor is normally provided for rapid propulsion of the watercraft to the fishing location or spot after which the trolling motor is employed. A particularly unique and satisfactory motor unit construction is illustrated in the co-pending application of Charles F. Alexander, Jr. and entitled "PIVOTAL MOUNT ASSEMBLY FOR TROLLING MOTORS" which was filed Sept. 4, 1975 with Ser. No. 610,414 now U.S. Pat. 4,008,680, and is assigned to the same assignee.
Although electric trolling motor units are commercially available, the inventor has found that the known constructions do not provide enough thrust to give the response and degree of control which is often desired. The motors are often designed to operate from the conventional 12 volt battery. Such units have generally produced a maximum static thrust of 15 pounds which reduces to approximately 10 pounds at 3 miles per hour. Similar units designed to operate from a 24 volt supply are also available with a static thrust on the order of 25 pounds which drops to the order of 15 pounds at 3 miles per hour. Although such motors produce a more desirable control because of the higher thrust than the 12 volt models, it is necessary to use two 12 volt batteries with them instead of one.
Generally, direct drive connections of the electric motor to the propeller unit have been provided to establish a simple and reliable trolling motor with minimal cost. Conventionally, trolling motors are operated from the conventional 12 volt battery. Where greater thrust is desired, the motor is designed for energization from a 24 volt source providing the desired increase in horsepower. Although this conventional approach can provide the desired increased thrust, the present inventor has realized that, in fact, the approach does not provide an optimum electric trolling motor, particularly, for low speed operation.